


Intrinsic Knowledge

by kakairupowns (miharu)



Series: Segments [17]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-07-27
Updated: 2009-07-27
Packaged: 2017-10-18 08:57:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miharu/pseuds/kakairupowns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luffy is smarter than he looks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intrinsic Knowledge

**Author's Note:**

> Peripheral ZoSan. Still, enough of a pairing that I think it belongs in my 'Segments' series.

Luffy barged into Usopp’s new workshop, the door swinging and banging violently against the wall. “Usopp!” He giggled, grin wide enough to split his face. “You gotta come see this! Franky is the best!”

His voice faded away when the room was revealed to be empty. The raised worktable sat at the other end, with the large letters proclaiming the room as “Usopp’s Factory” standing out in stark contrast against the wood of the hull. His eyes quickly canvassing the room, Luffy turned to go look elsewhere when something caught his eye.

It was a corner of the workplace that seemed to be dedicated to Usopp’s passion for painting. The sharpshooter rarely showed off his works to the rest of his nakama, and as a result only a few of them even knew it was a hobby. Luffy let the door fall closed and strode over to the easel, gazing across the array of paints and brushes, the empty canvas all ready to go, and landing on the bench beside it. There was a small box left open, with a toolkit next to it reading “charcoal”. Curiosity overrode any politeness to not rummage through his friend’s things, and Luffy carefully peeked inside.

Usopp had saved all of his drawings and paintings. Every single one. Awed, Luffy pulled out a stack of paper a couple of inches thick, and gently leafed through it. There was a picture of Nami, laughing and sitting on the railing of the Merry, with her legs kicking back and forth. Zoro, smiling indulgently as he nursed a mug of booze. Sanji, a carefree smile on his face as he flipped pancakes and spoke animatedly to a curious Chopper. There was an older one of Kaya, leaning out of her balcony window, attention captured by something out of frame.

A smile worked its way across Luffy’s face as he continued to leaf through them. There was one of the three kids, back in Usopp’s hometown. One of Luffy stretching out his arms to swing up onto Merry. Princess Vivi, laughing at their antics just after coming aboard. Her duck, Carue, dancing with Luffy and Chopper in front of a fire. Nami, working at her desk on one of her maps of the world. Chopper dancing with glee. Zoro cleaning his katana. Sanji out on deck, smoking a cigarette. The list went on and on, and before long Luffy was immersed, his mind going back to the time and place of each picture as he relived those memories.

When he got to the bottom of the pile, he took a minute to stare. This drawing was different from the others, and not one of Luffy’s memories. The others had been full of the crew at their happiest, goofing off with each other and enjoying their journey. This one was slightly different.

It was a charcoal sketch of Zoro and Sanji, leaning against the railing and holding each other close. Usopp had added a bit of color, and Luffy could see that this was done at sunset, somewhere on the Grand Line. Sanji was pulled snug to the swordsman’s side, and fit there like a missing puzzle piece. Zoro’s strong arms enfolded the cook, protectively shielding him like he was something precious.

Usopp had colored in their hair, Zoro’s haramaki and earrings, and Sanji’s eye and dark suit. The sunset was also in full color, but the couple paid it no mind. One look told Luffy that it was by no means the center of attention. Someone might look at this painting and see the people as secondary, something added onto the picture to make it complete. They would see the sunset first, and make a note of its beauty. In reality, that wasn’t it at all.

His friends were the centerpiece, and this captured them perfectly. It was about how they fit, and what they were to each other. Luffy smiled fondly at the image they created, molding together as one. Usopp had witnessed something rare and beautiful, something anyone else would be hard pressed to find in two such people.

Happiness. Pure happiness.

The look in Zoro’s eyes and the expression on Sanji’s face spoke volumes, if you knew how to read them.

Luckily, Luffy did.

Placing the sheaf of pictures gently back in the box, Luffy turned and left the workroom, his mind returning to his earlier mission. A grin stole swiftly across his face.

“Usopp! Usopp, where are you?” His voice carried down the hall and out onto the deck. “There’s something you’ve gotta see!” As he walked away, the door swung shut behind him, the room silent and empty once more.


End file.
